Probate Law & Estate Administration

Probate Attorneys from Blakeslee Rop: Peace of Mind When You Need it Most

Ensure that your loved one's estate is handled properly and accurately with the help of a Blakeslee Rop probate attorney. Our thoroughness, attention to detail, and compassion minimize hassles, conflicts and expenses during the probate of your loved one's estate or the administration of a trust.

When grieving the loss of a loved one, nobody wants to shuffle through financial records or fill out paperwork for courts and government tax departments. Even less do they want to referee conflicts with relatives who think they got the short end of the stick. The probate attorneys at Blakeslee Rop have more than 30 years of experience assisting with probate matters and administering trusts. We can ensure that your loved one's assets get distributed according to their will and minimize much of the hassle and expense that often goes with probate and administering estates.

Probate Services from Blakeslee Rop

Probate of an estate is the process of identifying and collecting all the assets a decedent owned at death, using them to pay the decedent's debts and distributing the remaining assets among beneficiaries according to the instructions of the decedent's will or, lacking a will, according to state law. The process is overseen by the probate court. All assets owned by the decedent at the time of his or her death must go through the probate process, except those in a trust or assets with a designated beneficiary, which are usually handled outside of probate.

During the probate of an estate, an attorney from Blakeslee Rop can assist with the following and related services:

  • Filing of the will and other paperwork with probate court
  • Identifying and locating the decedent's assets, including hard to find or often overlooked assets
  • Recording assets of the decedent's estate
  • Opening an estate account and transferring the estate's liquid assets to the account
  • Investment of assets awaiting distributions
  • Care and maintenance of real property awaiting distribution
  • Record keeping
  • Identifying and locating beneficiaries
  • Identifying and verifying creditors
  • Payment of creditors, taxes and court fees
  • Distributions to beneficiaries
  • Negotiating and litigating disputes with beneficiaries, creditors or others who may object to the will or handling of the estate
  • Court proceedings
  • Other requirements of the probate process

Trust Administration Services from Blakeslee Rop

Trust assets do not go through probate like other assets because they are owned by the trust, not the decedent. Assets in a trust are handled according to the terms of the trust. After a trust creator's death, the trust assets may be distributed to beneficiaries named by the trust deed, held until certain conditions are met (such as a beneficiary reaching his 18th birthday), invested and profits distributed to beneficiaries, or dealt with in numerous other ways. It all depends on the instructions governing the trust. Often trust terms and distribution instructions are complex and may involve investments and other transactions.

Individuals named as trust administrators often find they do not have the time or training to properly administer a trust, especially complex trusts and trusts structured to endure beyond the life of their creator. An experienced attorney from Blakeslee Rop can help ensure your loved one's trust is administered correctly and can assist in management of long-term and perpetual trusts.

Disputes by Heirs, Would-be Beneficiaries and Creditors

Unfortunately, probate of an estate doesn't always go smoothly and someone may disagree with how assets are distributed or even take issue with instructions in the decedent's will. It is also not uncommon for a beneficiary to challenge an executor's handling of the estate. In these times the assistance of an experienced attorney from Blakeslee Rop can be invaluable. Our attorneys can help instill confidence in and allay fears of beneficiaries and heirs. When necessary a Blakeslee Rop attorney can defend a decedent's will and estate in court against those who believe they've been wrongfully left out of an inheritance. We can also litigate other disputes, including claims by some creditors.

Get help with your probate case today

Take advantage of our more than 30 years of law experience and solve your legal issues effectively and affordably. Call our Rockford office today and speak to an attorney: (616) 866-9593.